Need help choosing snowshoes

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G

GU Man

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Climbed my first winter 46-R's last weekend on Cascade and Porter. I've always been just a warm weather hiker (finished my "summer" 46-R last September) and had previously resisted invitations from my hiking partners to do some winter hiking, until last weekend. I ended up really enjoying this winter hike!!! Not as crowded, no mud, no roots, no black flies, etc...

I rented Tubbs Altitude 30" snowshoes from EMS that had the new bearhug binding, and I was really impressed with them. But I've been reading some VFTT posts and ran into a number of other hikers that were using MSR's, and all I hear about MSR's is positive.

I started looking into MSR's and I see models Denali Evo Ascent, Denali Evo, Denali Ascent, and Denali Classic.

Which one's do you think would be the best overall snowshoe for use in the High Peaks - the Tubbs Altitude or one of the MSR's?

Thanks for your input.
 
I have not used MSR's. I have used the Tubbs Altitude and Pinnacle. You may want to at least look at the Pinnacle. In my opinion, the Viper Cramp-ons on them are much better than the Alttitude cramp-ons.
 
I can't provide any comparison info, I can only say that MSR Denali Classics (three pairs with two sets of 8" tails and one set of 4" tails) have served my family well in a variety of conditions.

I can also say that their customer service is excellent. I lost a strap in a fall in deep powder on the Osgood Trail. They replaced it quickly, cheerfully, no questions asked.

Steve
 
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The Denali ascents are fantastic. The heal elevator is well worth the extra money. Thier customer service is great. The binding are simple, the traction beats anything else, and being able to switch the size around by adding and removing tails is a nice plus. THey also cost less then other companies.
 
Ditto on the Denali Ascents. I love 'em. Aggressive crampons, very lightweight, etc. Never heard anything negative except the occasional comment on how loud they sound (due to the plastic).

But try renting several different brands to see what works best for you.
 
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I have been using the MSR Danalli Classics for a while now and I love them. I never bothered with the other models MSR has. mainly because I never found a need too. Plus the Classics are cheaper.

I also have a pair of the Tubbs Altitude and at first I did not like them due to the AL crampons. They were not agresive at all. I eneded up buying the Viper crampons for the altitudes and found a hudge difference. I can actually acend and decend without slipping. I also have a pair of wooden shoes that I also love.

If I had to choose between the three I would go with the MSR's because they are cheaper, they can also be used in all different conditions, from hard packed snow to powder. All you need to do is put the tails on. They climb very well and are easy to put on with gloves. The Tubbs are great but if you get them small they wont perform as well in powder and if they are too long they get in the way on packed trails. The Wooden ones are only good for deep powder and rolling terrain. ALthough you can get wooden shoeswith crampons.
 
If you want to run around in all kinds of conditions (packed snow or powder), AND your total weight (with gear) is around 200 pounds (or less), the MSR's are a great choice. They're inexpensive, have awesome traction, and the heel elevator ROCKS when you're climbing.

If you don't fit that weight requirement though, and you intend to go out on some powder days, I'd say the Tubbs are your best bet. They don't have the features of the MSR, except for the one feature that you're buying snowshoes for to begin with--> to keep you floating on the snow!!

Just a heads up though that my experience is limited to 3 hours with one brand and 4 on the other, this past January at a demo. Same day however, after he heard out my floatation complaints, even the MSR rep said that they weren't made for powder.

I just bought the Altitude 30's, cause with a winter pack I'm tipping the scale at 230 pounds.
 
Did quite a bit of winter hiking, this my first year of any hiking. Climbed 3 of the 4 tallest in the ADKs with snowshoes and/or crampons...

MSRs seem to tbe the rave, and I've hiked with a few wearing them with no issues whatsoever. They're light and have great traction.

My cheap 'Yakimas' from Dick's Sporting Goods carried me to the tops of Marcy and Skylight this winter, Marcy in pretty deep snow. I wouldn't recommend them because the MSRs are pretty cheap right now ($99 clearence at EMS online). I paid more for the Yakimas at the beginning of the season.

Important note -- so far I've seen (2) hikers at two different times stranded (temporarily of course) because their Tubbs shoes had failed. Based on this, I can't recommend them (the main metal piece/bar under the foot just snapped in both cases). Since Tubbs are rather expensive, and no cheaper than MSRs, just get the MSRs.
 
Is it just me or are the MSRs noisy

I know that I do most of my shoeing solo but seems to me that the MSRs make much more noise than other shoes. A few time last winter I would stop and let the people with MSRs get far ahead of me due to the noise.

Yes, yes I know if I was walking faster they would not been able to catch up to me, but me being slow and out of shape is a different thread.

Mark
 
Yeah, as I mentioned above, they are kinda noisy ......... at least on the packed trails. (much quieter in powder of course)

The noise doesn't really bother me and most of my friends have the MSRs as well so I guess we are all just used to it by now.
 
Sounds like all the posters here love the MSRs, and with good reason -- they're great shoes. I'll throw my 2-cent monkeywrench into your decision, though, and say that I love my Atlas 1030's. The bindings fit like a glove and allow for great freedom of motion. They fall away like you'd expect when taking steps (unlike the 8-series, avoid those), and the noise level is on the low side.

I love them save for one small issue -- when putting them on, you have to tuck the extra webbing down into the binding. This isn't really a problem unless you're trying to hurry. It does tend to take a little time (like, 30 seconds), and typically I'll remove my outer glove in order to keep from getting frustrated.

However, once the webbing is "stowed", it doesn't come undone. The shoes are solid, the bindings flexible, and overall they feel like an extension of my foot. I'm very happy with them.

Matt
 
Northern Lites

The Northern Lite snowshoes were talked about some over the winter and I highly recommend them. The bindings are simple, the crampons are adequate and they weigh only 1 lb each. I can tell you from experience that your legs feel a lot fresher after 10 hours of hiking with the lighter shoes. Also these are real snowshoes that have flotation. I have seen the MSR's and I doubt that they work well once you get off the beaten track. They look like great traction devices but a little small to carry a pack on unbroken mountainsides. Last month 4 of us climbed Marshall(all with NL's) and they worked great. If you want some high performance snowshoes check them out.
 
MSR considerations

I started my love/hate affair with MSR Denalis in late 1999. I loved their performance but I hated getting stranded every 50 miles or less. Yes, these earlier MSRs had several failure modes and at least one of these modes occurred at 50 mile frequency. For the record, I expect a lot out of my gear...but I neither baby it nor abuse it. After a few years the hate won out and I switched to other brands.
HOWEVER, this year I decided to try the newer MSR Evo snowshoe when I saw it at 40% off at LLBean. I have put approximately 200 miles of hard use into these shoes now in the past month, and I still haven't managed to break them. Does this mean they won't break...nope. But they are one heck of a lot more reliable than the earlier models and I am giving them a cautious thumbs up. If they get me through all next year they will have outlasted even my Tubbs, which to date have been the most reliable shoe I've tried. And they certainly are more comfy than the Tubbs (at least the ones I have).
Although mine don't have the heel elevator, it might be useful for helping improve the bite of the plastic crossbars that are located on the rear half of the shoe. Useful too, I suppose, for those who don't like walking on their toes for hours at a time.
I probably tip the scale at 225 fully loaded, and am satisfied with the flotation offered by these shoes. I have used the tails on a couple of hikes, and they do make a significant difference in flotation.
I would be very cautious about buying used. You might end up with a pair having the failure modes that plagued the earlier models.
 
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